Cougars have shot at a title

North Daviess will play for a Class A Sectional 40 championship

Few people gave North Daviess High School's football team a chance entering Class A's Sectional 40, in which three Top 10 teams lurked, except the Cougars.

Now, though, after knocking off previously undefeated and fifth-ranked Perry Central 7-6 last Friday in the semifinals, North Daviess gets to face another undefeated team this Friday, No. 4 Linton-Stockton.

The Miners (11-0) host the 8-3 Cougars at 6 p.m. CST and a standing-room-only crowd is expected.

"Their place doesn't seat 5,000," said North Daviess coach Scott Helm, "but if the weather's good, there will be 5,000 there. This is one of those rivalry games. They're right up the road about 15 miles. The kids all know each other."

Helm said there was no time to celebrate the Perry Central win because preparations for Linton started Saturday morning.

"We already had a walk-through on their stuff," said Helm. "It doesn't matter it's for the sectional title. We just tend to be bitter rivals."

Linton won an earlier meeting 22-7 in week six, but Helm said that score was a little misleading.

"It was 14-7 until late," he said. "Then they scored late and went for two. Did I say it was a rivalry?"

North Daviess had over 200 yards rushing in that game after the Miners jumped ahead 14-0 in the first quarter.

"We moved the ball well enough last time," said Helm. "But we scored just one TD. A quick start's a must this time."

The Cougars rely on what Helm calls a "power" running attack that has piled up 3,081 yards in 11 games. Senior quarterback Drew Stuffle has added 630 yards passing.